Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Many Believe Uninsured Should Serve as Top U.S. Priority

About 42% of U.S. adults believe the federal government should make the issue of the uninsured a top health care priority over the next two years, according to a new WSJ.com/Harris Interactive poll, the Wall Street Journal reports. The poll, conducted between Oct. 8 and Oct. 10, included responses from a nationally representative sample of 2,384 adults.

According to the poll, 42% of respondents cited "reducing the percentage of Americans without health insurance" as one of the top two health care issues, followed by Medicare reform (28%) and efforts to reduce out-of-pocket health care costs (26%). Most respondents said that, although health care issues will have some effect on their votes in the November elections, other issues are more important, the poll found.

In addition, a plurality of respondents believes between two and three to one margins that Democrats would address various health care issues more effectively than Republicans, according to the poll. The poll found that 37% of respondents believe Democrats would more effectively address the issue of the uninsured, compared with 11% who believe Republicans would address the issue more effectively.

However, one-third of respondents believe neither party would more effectively address the issue of the uninsured, and 22% are uncertain, the poll found (Bright, Wall Street Journal, 10/24).

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